Catapults
The
arrow-firing catapult of Zopyrus of Tarentum
It was a
catapult which launched two arrows simultaneously. The sliding central beam
("slider") cocked with the help of a manual windlass. The narrow
metal claw (retaining pin) held the two half-springs of the bow via a
perforated binding lamina. This ensured the even distribution of force to the
two arrows at the launch. The catapult was mounted on a base which allowed the
horizontal and vertical regulation of the launch angle.
SOURCES:
"Biton, Construction of warengines and artillery"
The stone-throwing catapult of Isidoros of
Abydos
It was launcher of small stones. The case
("syrinx") was framed by two oblong boards which internally had iron
ratchets. The sliding central beam ("slider") was cocked with the
help of ropes and a powerful manually-operated winch and secured in the prongs
of the ratchets. The slider, after the launch, moved forwards again (so as to
accept the bow-string) with the help of a small rotating axle (with
handspikes). The string was divided into two parts that were linked with a leather
sling and a metal ring that constituted the reception for the claw. The
catapult was roughly 4 m long and it launched spherical missiles of 20 - 25 cm
in diameter and weighing15 - 20 kg.
SOURCES: "Biton, Construction of War
Machines and Artillery"
The repeating (''polybolos'') catapult of
Dionysios of Alexandria
It was an automatic repeating straight-spring
catapult which had the possibility of launching arrows in succession and
constituted the leading achievement of ancient Greek catapult engineering. The
catapult was realised for the Rhodians. It was equipped with a turning roller
that had two grooves (one lengthwise and one helical) and a wooden case that
held the launch arrows. Also at both sides of its case it had two pairs of
pentagonal sprockets (gears) that were connected with a wooden chain. A pin on
each chain was connected at the same point with the slider of the catapult. The
slider had a bent axle with its end entering the helical groove of the roller
above. With the right rotation (by the operator of the weapon) of the
handspikes at the rear sprockets the slider moved automatically forwards, the
roller turned left automatically until the lengthwise groove was aligned with
the corresponding opening of the arrow case and then an arrow fell into the
groove of roller. At the same time the string entered automatically into the
claw of the slider and a stable pin pushed the trigger automatically and locked
the claw. With the left rotation of the sprockets the slider moved
automatically backwards, the roller turned right automatically until the
lengthwise groove was aligned with the receiver of the slider and the arrow
fell automatically into this. At the same time a stable pin pressed the trigger
automatically and the claw was lifted. Then the string was released
automatically and the arrow was launched. With the continuous backward and
forward movement of the handspikes in this way and in minimal time the operator
launched in succession the all arrows of magazine.
SOURCES: "Philon of Byzantium, Belopoietica"
Siege machines
The ditch-filling tortoise of Diades
It was used in sieges for the levelling of
ground and the filling of defensive ditches for easier approach of other siege
machines. It was constituted by a wooden cage on wheels and a hipped roof
covering approximately 120 square metres for the protection of the digging and
ditch-filling crew. The exposed walls were covered with iron sheets, fresh
wickerwork, clay mixed with hair, and padded rawhide and lambskins (stuffed
with vinegar-soaked chaff or green seaweed) in order to neutralise incendiary
arrows and to absorb the blow of stones launched by the enemy. An ingenious
placement system of the axle wheel bearing allowed its forward, sideway and
diagonal movement. On another tortoise, the digging tortoise, the front face
was vertical to enable better contact with the wall and easier sabotage by the
diggers.
SOURCES: "Vitrouvius, On architecture
X", "Plutarch, Lives parallel, Demetrios", "Diodoros of
Sicily", "Athinaeus, On machines", "Philon of Byzandium,
Parasceuastika and poliorcetica"
The "helepolis" of Epimachos
It was a giant siege tower of roughly 40 metres
in height that was constructed by Epimachos the Athenian and was utilised by
Demetrius Poliocretes in the siege of Rhodes (304 BC). It was constituted by
nine storeys with windows and had enormous stone-projecting catapults on the
lower levels and lighter ones on the upper. It had two staircases (one for the
ascent and one for the descent of the crew) and one sliding or opening boarding
bridge for the mounting of soldiers onto the enemy wall. The machine sat on
eight solid wheels fitted onto a mesh undercarriage ("escharion")
with approximately 800 openings for the positioning of an equal amount of men
who pushed it towards the enemy wall. The bearings of the wheel axles
("hamaxipous") were placed on lever-turning bases (Castor type)
allowing the movement to all directions. The front and side walls were covered
with iron sheets and padded rawhide (stuffed with vinegar-soaked chaff or green
seaweed) in order to neutralise incendiary arrows and to absorb the blow of
stones launched by the enemy.
For its propulsion, the machine probably
employed reinforcement with: a) a huge manually-operated winch used to pull the
rope which was anchored to the ground beneath the front part of the machine (as
in the helepolis of Posidonius) and b) a rope system secured to the rear of the
undercarriage ("escharion"). After the ropes had gone around the
pulleys which were anchored to the ground (beneath the front part of the
machine), they were drawn by pulley-brocks, a hauling crew and draught animals
which were positioned at a safe distance behind it. The helepolis was the
evolution of the Macedonian siege towers of Polyidus of Thessalia (for Philip
II) and of Diades and Charias (for Alexander) and offered besiegers the
possibility to attack enemy walls but also targets in the city behind them from
a safe and advantageously higher position.
SOURCES: "Vitrouvius, On architecture
X", "Plutarch, Lives parallel, Demetrios ", "Diodoros of
Sicily, History", "Athinaeus, On machines"
The sambuca of Damios from Kolophon
It was a protected ladder which rocked like a
seesaw and allowed the safe transferring of soldiers onto enemy wall. On its
front end, it had a protected assault platform, while on the rear end, a box of
lead counterweight for balancing. On the floor of the base, there was a
vertical screw which came into contact, through an intermediate beam, with the
ladder in front of the articulation. The right or left rotation of the screw
(by means of a lever) ensured the desired inclination of the ladder. When at
rest, the ladder was at a relatively vertical position whereas in the event of
attack, the soldiers climbed the ladder and gathered onto the assault platform
through the protected corridor. Then the operators of the winch lifted it to a
horizontal position and the soldiers, after they had lowered the protective
gate, disembarked onto the wall or even behind it with the help of the hanging
ladder.
SOURCES: "Biton, Construction of
warengines and artillery", "Polybius, Histories"
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